Lexical Summary Tiberios: Tiberius Original Word: Τιβέριος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Tiberius. Of Latin origin; probably pertaining to the river Tiberis or Tiber; Tiberius, a Roman emperor -- Tiberius. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof Latin origin Definition Tiberius, a Rom. emperor NASB Translation Tiberius (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5086: ΤιβέριοςΤιβέριος, Τιβερίου, ὁ, Tiberius, the Roman emperor (from (Aug. 19) Topical Lexicon Name and Historical IdentityTiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (Latin: Tiberius Claudius Nero, later Tiberius Julius Caesar), the son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla, became the second emperor of Rome in A.D. 14 upon the death of his adoptive father, Caesar Augustus. His reign (A.D. 14–37) bridged the transition from the relative idealism of the Augustan age to an increasingly autocratic empire marked by political suspicion and consolidation of imperial power. Biblical Occurrence and Chronological Significance The sole New Testament mention of Τιβέριος (Tiberius) occurs in Luke 3:1, where Luke anchors the public ministry of John the Baptist—and thus the inauguration of Jesus’ earthly ministry—within the broader stream of world history: “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar … the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.” (Luke 3:1–2) The “fifteenth year” is understood to fall in A.D. 28–29, depending on whether one counts from the co-regency that Augustus granted Tiberius in A.D. 11–12 or from the sole reign beginning in A.D. 14. Either reckoning places the start of John’s ministry—and soon afterward Jesus’ baptism and public appearance—squarely within the late 20s A.D., harmonizing the Gospels with extrabiblical Roman records. Political Climate Under Tiberius 1. Administration: Tiberius retained Augustus’ provincial system, ruling Italy directly while delegating Judea and other sensitive regions to prefects (later procurators). Pontius Pilate, appointed circa A.D. 26, thus served most of his prefecture under Tiberius. 2. Governance Style: Initially moderate and restrained, Tiberius later withdrew to Capri (A.D. 26) and ruled through the ambitious Lucius Aelius Sejanus until Sejanus’ fall in A.D. 31. The resulting climate of intrigue and treason trials shaped the imperial court that ultimately confirmed Pilate’s sentence against Jesus. 3. Provincial Leaders Named in Luke 3:1: Herod Antipas (tetrarch of Galilee), Philip (Iturea and Trachonitis), and Lysanias (Abilene) all operated under Tiberius’ suzerainty, illustrating the layered government Luke records with precision. Numismatic and Archaeological Witness The silver denarius bearing the head of Tiberius (“Caesar’s coin”) is widely regarded as the currency referenced when Jesus answered, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s” (Mark 12:17; Matthew 22:21; Luke 20:25). The coin’s inscription, “TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS,” affirms Luke’s identification of “Tiberius Caesar” and corroborates the Gospel accounts’ historical realism. Theological and Ministerial Implications • Reliability of Scripture: Luke’s time-stamp invites readers to test the Gospel’s claims against secular chroniclers such as Tacitus and Suetonius, reinforcing the conviction that saving history unfolded in verifiable space and time. • Sovereignty of God: The accession of Tiberius, a pagan emperor, nonetheless served divine purposes. In the very reign that bred imperial suspicion, God sent forth His Son (Galatians 4:4) and prepared the Roman roads and legal order that later facilitated apostolic mission. • Christian Citizenship: Jesus’ instruction concerning Caesar’s coin demonstrates that obedience to earthly rulers, so far as it does not violate allegiance to God, is integral to discipleship (Romans 13:1–7; 1 Peter 2:13–17). The presence of Tiberius on the coin underscores the concrete application of this principle. Prophetic Context Daniel’s vision of successive gentile empires (Daniel 2; Daniel 7) anticipated Roman supremacy. Tiberius, as heir to Augustus’ throne, personifies that fourth kingdom through which God ordained the climactic revelation of the Messiah. The juxtaposition of imperial might and a Galilean preacher fulfills the pattern of divine strength perfected in apparent weakness. Legacy for Early Christianity The Pax Romana under Tiberius, though marked by internal suspicion, preserved external stability. Roman roads, maritime routes, and a common legal system enabled the rapid spread of the Gospel in subsequent decades. Apostolic appeals to Caesar (Acts 25:11) and letters to churches across the empire presuppose the administrative network refined during Tiberius’ tenure. See Also Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1) Pontius Pilate (Matthew 27:2) Herod Antipas (Mark 6:14) Denarius (Mark 12:15) Romans 13:1–7; 1 Peter 2:13–17 Forms and Transliterations Τιβεριου Τιβερίου Tiberiou TiberíouLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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